Incarnations

by Chris Deal

A collection of short stories detailing the lonely lives of drunks and killers. Navigating the deserts of Mexico to the backwoods of North Carolina, our narrators tell their stories in hauntingly poetic voices reminiscent of William Gay and Cormac McCarthy. INCARNATIONS is a bold collection, a series of short letters to a god that has long since abandoned this world.

Genres: Fiction

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2014

Reviews

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to Incarnations, I bet I had read some 50 stories by Chris Deal. He’s one of my favorite writers, and excels at the short form, especially flash fiction. So I was/am especially thrilled to have so many of them collected here for my shelf. We’ve thrice been anthologized together, and all those stories are represented, my favorite of which is probably “In Exile.” “Cut Through Road” is another standout. You’ll find character-driven tales of conflicted crooks and raised-wrong children and apocalyptic beasts, many of them at a fateful crossroads or chasing a setting sun. Before reading them back to back, I’d been unaware of some of the overlaps in settings and characters, a welcome surprise and sense of cohesion here in the Deal universe.

[Amanda Gowin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris has one of those rare souls that detaches from his body, floats away, and inhabits other humans of different lifestyles that see different worlds and landscapes, before flying back to his body and infusing him with these perspectives. That's really the only plausible explanation I can come up with for the versatility and authenticity of the beautiful voices in his work. I'll read every word he ever writes. "Incarnations" is quiet and beautiful and varied and wonderful!

[Caleb Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Deal has found his form. So many authors dabble in multiple forms--novels, poetry, short fiction--before finding the form that most compliments his own thoughts, fears, hopes, his own life. Chris Deal is transcribing his soul on these pages.

(video review forthcoming, probably)

[C.B. Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book by pure happenstance, but was glad I did. It is full of gems, many of them in the flash fiction style.

Deal has a way with cutting to the heart of the matter with his words. His prose is sparse and efficient and he manages to portray the passage of years in the pan of several pages, but also in a way that makes you feel those years.

There are a few horror and crime stories sprinkled throughout here. Others take place in the South and still others take place along the borders and in Mexico with Latinx characters.

Favorites from this collection include:
"In Exile"
"Cut Through Road"
"A Murder Ballad"
"Where the Water Meets the Sky"

The stories are really well suited for an ebook as some can be read quickly from your phone or e-reader. They are the perfect length to dive into them when you have some down time and need a quick break into another world that will linger over you for the rest of the day.

[Tomasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense, tender, forceful stories, would be great, if some of the force did not bleed out in typos and awkward sentences - not that many, but enough of them to irritate. Still, heartily recommended. RAW Deal, man.

[David Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flash Fiction is not really my thing but there are always exceptions and Chris Deal's stories are exceptional. When I read stories this short they usually leave me confused or wanting more. Incarnations is definitely in the latter camp but that is not a complaint about Deal's writing it's more a personal preference. Chris Deal can do more in 2 pages than many can do in a novella. That's what I mean though, I would love to read what he does in a longer form. If you like short/poetic/flash fiction read this book. Incarnations is one of the best I have read in that genre.

[Bmac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cut Through Road story is excellent